Shipping container



Feb. 29, 1944. E L A SHIPPING CONTAINER Filed Dec. 26. 1941 INVENTOR. pw/N 6. H511. Y/YR.

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Patented Feb. 29, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SHIPPING CONTAINER Edwin G. Hellyar, Norwichtown, Conn. Application December 26, 1941, Serial No. 424,416

11 Claims. (Cl. 20651) This, invention; relates to certain. improvem n s in shipping containers and more. particularly to containers for velvet cloth material such as shown-and described in my tic-pending application Serial No. 364,909, filed November 8, 1940.

The object of the present invention is to provide new and useful means for retractably securing the hook plates in the cross arms of the end members without requiring separate fastoners, such as shown in my co-pencling application.

A, further object of this invention is to provide a structure for the end members which can be more economically produced and in which the slots for handling the hook plates may be cut with a single movement operation; thus rendering it possible to reduce the time required for forming the slots in the cross arms. It is to be understood that such modifications which will simplify the construction and reduce the cost of the end members are highly desirable in devices of this nature for the reason that they are used in large quantities and any small saving which can be aiTected is of considerable importance.

' My invention may be more clearly understood from the following description and from the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. lxis a front view of a container embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a side view of one of the end members.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged front view, in central vertical section, of a portion of one of said end members.

Fig. 4 is an end view of the said portion.

As illustrated in the drawing, a. container embodying my present invention may comprise cross-shaped end members 5--5 which are secured together, in spaced relation, by means of a spacing bar 6, as fully described in the abovementioned co-pending application.

.Thecross arms of the .said end members are each provided with a slot 7 in which is contained the hook plate 8 having a plurality of hooks 9 thereon which are adapted to project inwardly in the container, from said cross arms, to support the cloth material which is wound on said frame, between the end members, with the selvage of the material hooked onto said hooks.

This invention has to do particularly with the formation of the slots 1 and the hook plates 8 to permit the said plates to be retractably secured to the arms without the use of fastening means. To accomplish this object of my invention, therefore, I provide the said slots with angularly disposed ends Ill-10 which converge towards the inner side of the end members. I also provide the hook plates with extending portions H-H to abut the said ends Ill-l0 and thereby anchor the hook plates in position to support the fabric material in the container. It being understood that when the fabric is mounted in the container it will apply a pulling action on the hook plates which will tend to pull the extensions H-ll against the ends II].

My improved construction will also permit the hook plates to be retracted within the arms of the end members to prevent injury of the hooks during shipment, or storage of the end members, when they are detached from the spacing bar 6 and when said plates will be retained within the slots by means of staples I2, or other suitable means, so that they will not become separated from the end members or lost and thereby keep them available for use when the container is assembled to the spacing bar which is usually just prior to Winding the fabric material thereon.

By forming the slots with the ends converging as shown in 3, it is rendered possible to provide these slots by the simple operation of moving a saw crosswise through the arm of an end member in a single direction and thus permitting the use of a simple fixture for holding each cross arm for a sawing operation. This will also permit two saws to be moved through a cross arm simultaneously for cutting a slot at each end of the arm with a single movement and thereby reducing the number of manual oper ations required and appreciably reducing the cost of the containers.

In order to prevent slippage of the extensions Il-l I against the ends of the slots when the cloth material is first attached to the hooks nearest to the bar 6, which would cause a tendency for the plates to rock and move the outermost hooks inwardly in the slots, I may provide extensions 13 on the outer ends of the plates, forming notches M, which will tend to inter-engage with the point of the slot and prevent such rocking of the hook plates.

It will be understood that, by my herein described invention, I have provided novel means for securing hook plates to the cross arms of end members for shipping containers, which will permit the said hook plates to be securely mounted to the arms without the use of additional fastening means and which will also permit the hook plates to be retracted within the arms, with the hooks out of reach of any other member which end members, for the purpose of supporting the material in the container, and may be omitted in cases where it may be found desirable to attach the hook plates to the end members when the said end members are assembled to the bars,

6, or just prior to mounting the fabric material in the container.

I claim:

1. For a container of the character described, for cloth material or the like, an end member including a cross arm having a slot therein, a hook plate including a plurality of hooks and mounted in said slot, and means extending from;

said hook plate and engageable with a wall within said slots for retractably securing said plate to said cross arm.

2. A container of the character described, for

cloth material or the like, including an end mem her having a slot withwalls converging inwardly therein towards the inside of said container,-

hook plates including a plurality of hooks adapted to extend inwardly from said end membar, and means comprising extensions on said hook plates for engaging said converging walls to secure said hook plates to said end member.

3. A container of the character described,- for' cloth material or the like, including an end member having a slot extending therethrough with:

inwardly converging end walls, a hook plate ineluding a plurality of hooks, and extensions on said hook plate co-operating with said end walls for retaining the hooks in position to support the material in the container.

4. A container of the character described comprising a plurality of end members having slots therein, a hook plate in each of said slots having a plurality of hooks extending therefrom inwardly in said container, extensions at the ends of said hook plate, and means within said slots abutting said extensions to retain said hooks in position to support material in said'container.

5. A container, for' cloth material or the like; including a pairof spaced end members having a plurality of cross arms each having a slot extending therethrough, a hook plate in each of said slots having a plurality of books thereon adapted to extend inwardly in said containerand support said material therein, and abutment means within said slots for engaging with portions of the ends of said plates for securing said plates against pull from said material.

6. A container for cloth material or the like comprising a plurality of end members having slots therein, and hook plates including a plurality of hooks adapted to extend inwardly from said end members; said hook plates having extensions and said 'slots having converging end walls formed by a slotting operation and adapted to engage said extensions within said slot for retaining said hooks in position to support said material.

7. A shipping container for cloth material or the like comprising a plurality of spaced end members having slots therein, and a hook plate including a plurality of hooks in each of said slots; said hook plates having extensions, abutment means engaging said extensions within saidslots and retractably retaining said hooks in position to support the said material in said container, and means extending across said slots for retaining-said hook plates therein.

8. A container for cloth material or the like comprising a plurality of spaced end members having a slot extending therethrough with inwardly converging end walls, a hook plate in rality of hooks adapted to extend inwardly from.

each of said slots having a plurality of hooks adapted to extend inwardly in said container from said end members, means including extensions from the ends of said hook plate adapted to engage said ends of the slot to retractably secure said hooks in position to support said material, and means including a notch in said hook plate for preventing rocking thereof when the material is first secured to hooks at the opposite end'of the plate.

*9. A container for cloth material or the like including a pair of spaced end members having slots therein and extending therethrough, said slots having inwardly converging end walls, a hook plate in each of said slots having a, plusaid end member to support material in said container, and means including end extensions on said'plates having. surfaces co-operating with said inwardly converging end walls to secure said plates to said end members with the hooks in position to support said material; each of said end Walls providing corner portions in the inner side of said end members and said hook plates having means co-operating with said portions to prevent displacement of said hooks when the material is initially attached to said hooks.

A container for cloth material or the like comprising a plurality of end members having slots therein and hook plates in said slots in cluding a'plurality of hooks extending inwardly from said end members; said hook plates having portions projecting therefrom, and abutment'means within said slots engaging said projecting portions and retractably retaining said plates in said slots.

11. A container of the character described comprising a pair of end members each having a slot therein and a hook plate including a plurality of hooks extending inwardly from said end members; each of said hook plates having a projecting portion, and abutment means Within said slot engaging said portion to secure said plate-'toisaid-end'niember in position to support material in' said container and permitting retraction of said hooks into said slot.

EDWIN G. HELLYAR. 

